Pretzel-rolling machine.



L. UHLER.

PRETZEL ROLLING MAUHINE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6. 191a.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

Fri/$2 Inventor Jan Witnesse r I Attorneys YHE NORRIS PETERS (o F-HOTO urHo. WASHINGTON, 'L c.

"U ITED "STATES PATENT 0mm l LEVI UHLER. OF ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

rnnTznL-noLLme MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnv UHLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Allentown, inthe county ofLehigh and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Pretzel-Rolling Machine, of which the fol-- I. lowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a machine or apparatus for rolling pretzels and the like or for rolling or fashioning pretzel blanks.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved machine of this character which shall be operable to efiiciently, conveniently and readily form the pretzel blank, and which machine shall be comparatively simple, compact and inexpensive in construction.

The present invention also contemplates the provision of a dough receptacle having a discharge tube communicating with a train orseries of rolling cylinders andconcaves cooperating therewith, in connection with means for discharging the dough.

through the said tubeand means for intermittently severing. the dough as it is discharged from the tube, so that the chunks or blocks of dough pass into the first con cave, from whence they are rolled into proper formand then delivered to a conveyer tobe thrown or bent into form.

It is also within the spirit of the inventionyto'improve generally and increase the utility of devices of that character to which i the present one'appertains.

With the foregoing and other obgects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in thecombination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter de scribed and claimed, .it being understood that -changes in the precise embod ment of invention herein disclosed can bemade w1thin the scope of what is claimed without de-- parting from the spirit ofthe invention.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein similar. reference characters have been employed to denote corresponding parts, and wherein Figure l is a side elevation of the. machine, parts being removed, parts being brokenaway and parts being shown in section, this figure being somewhat diagrammatic to disclose arbitrarylor conventional structures. Fig. 2 is a :detail of the dough therefor.

' PatentedNov.10,1914; Application filed January 6, 1913. Serial No. 740,487. I I

cutter or knife and the actuating mechanism 1.

Referring specifically; the

there is employed in carrying; out-thepresent invention, a suitable base or frame 3 having a drivingshaft 4: 1ournaled therein,

i the driving shaft being actuated by. a motor or prime mover of any suitable character. The drivingshaft 4 is'belted or otherwise operatably connected to a drivenshaft 5 journaled in the frame, theshaft 4 being connected to the shaft 5 through the medium of a clutch 6 in order that the connection may be broken or interrupted as desired, or when it is necessary to stop the machine.

- Theshaftfi, or counter shaft, isoperatably connected to the lower end of: a piston rod 7 attached at its upper end to a piston 8 working in a cylinder9, the piston rod being preferably. feathered through the lower end or. bottom of the cylinder and having a bevel gear 10 screw threaded, thereon below the cylinder and this gear in'turn being i operatably connected through themedium of the zshaft 11 with, the shaft 5., The details ofthis connection are within the scope of the mechanic or artisan and need not be illustrated nor described'in detail. Theessential feature-is that the rotation of the shaftshall impart a slow upward movement-fto the piston rod i'n order. to elevate I the piston. A i

The cylinder 9 is supportedby the frame 3, it being noted that the actuating mechanism: for the piston rodis located below the cylinder, and the-cylinder is designed to hold the'dough which is to be fashioned'or thereto so that it may be swung; open for rolled into .the pretzel blanks; The top or cover 12 of, the cylinder is preferably hinged readily receiving the dough, an'diis also rovided witlra'goose neckgor discharge tube This'goose neck or. discharge tube di- L i Y' Y rects the dough from the cylinder as'the pis- I I p v ton is forcedupward, the dough being discharged from the deliverytubeyliw in a cir cul ar or similar 'ribbonorp tape. It is also understood that the cover or head 12 of the cylinder may be fastened to the cylinderin any desirable manner in order that-when the machine is in use, there will'beuno liability of the cover being raised by the pression of'the dough. i

end of a pivoted arm '15 and is slidably mounted or arranged along the guide arm 16 upstanding from the'free end of the tube 13, the arm being connected by a link or pitman 17 to a crank 18 carried by a shaft 19. This shaft l9-is o-peratively connected to a shaft 20through the. medium of the respective intermeshing spur gears 21 and 22, these gears being designed to be interchanged with other like gears of various diameters in order that the speed or timing of the cutter or knife may be adjusted as necessary or desirable. The shaft 20 is driven in any suitable manner, preferably from the shaft 5 or any other part driven thereby, so that the cutter will beactuated simultaneously with the otherparts of the machine, and as this connection is so obvious, ithas not been illustrated. The rotation of theshaft 20 will necessarily rotate the shaft 19 at a ratio inversely proportional to the diameters of the gears, and as the crank 18 is revolved, the cutter will be given an oscillatory or reciprocatory movement along the guide 16 and over the end ofthe tube 13. The cutter will thus intermittently shear over or pass the end of the delivery tube and will sever the dough at timely intervals. The upward movement of the piston being regulated and being operated together with the cutter will cause the discharged dough to be cut into chunks or primary blanks of uniform weight, as is desirable, and by regulating the motion of the piston, or cutter, or both, the weight of the chunks or primary blanks of dough may be adjusted toa nicety, within practical limits. This is necessary where the weight of the pretzels or the like differ.

The chunks or primary blanks of dough are caught or received by a means for rolling the same, which consists in the following"instrumentalities. A train or series of cylind'ersor drums 23, 23 and 23 are mounted on the respective shafts 24, 24 and 24, and are arranged in front of or adjacent the dough cylinder 9. These cylinders are arranged ina staggered relation or in various horizontal planes with their axes arranged in inclined planes relative to each other. The successive cylinders are rotated in reverse directions, or the alternate cylinders are rotated in the same direc' tion, by means of the respective intermeshing gear wheels 25, 25 and 25 secured tothe shafts 24, 24" and 24. The respective cylinders are alsoprovide'd with the concaves 26, 26 and -26". These concaves are. provided with the ears or eyes 27 at their ends whlch are designed to be supported by adjustable carriers or is preferably constructed in two sections hinged together as at 28, it being noted that this concave extends throughout approximately three quarters of the circumference of the cylinder 23, or inclosing the cylinder 23 with the exception of the inner side. The concaves 26 and 26 are provided with the respective lips or flanges 29 and 29 at their lower edges, which lips are declined and extend to the respective cylinders 23 and 23. The upper edges of the concaves 26 and 26 extend contiguous to but are spaced from the respective lips 29 and 29. The axis of the shaft 24 lies approximately in the intersection of two planes inclined at angles of 45 and cutting the axes of the shafts 24 and 24, the lips 29 and 29 lying in the said planes. In other words, the lower edge of the concave 26 extends beyond the bottom of the cylinder 23 to the plane of the axes of the shafts 24 and 24 and the lower edge of the concave 26 extends beyond or below the bottom of the cylinder 23"t0the-plane of the axes of the shafts 24 and 24, the respective lips 29 and 29 projecting radially to the respective cylinders 23" and 23". The respective cylinders and concaves "are of such dimensions that the spaces'therebetween are successively diminished from the upper cylinder to the lower one, so thatthe pretzel blanks will be gradually reduced to the proper diameter or size. The; delivery tube 13 overhangs or terminates above the cylinder 23 and its concave,

the concave 26 passing from below the cylinder 23 up the rear side thereof and no farther. The delivery end of the tube 13 is so positioned relative to the cylinder 23 and concave 26, that the chunks or primar blanks of dough will properly fall therebetween to be given their primary rolling or forming action. It is to be understood that o the respective cylinders, the concaves, or both may be adjusted and changed for the purpose of regulating the spaces therebetween so as to permit of the reducing of the blank to the'proper size or diameter according to the weight or quantity of the pretzel blank.

An endless conveyer belt or apron 30 is mounted upon the respective rear and forward rollers or guides 31 and 31 and its rear end is disposed below and contiguous to the bottom of the lowest cylinder 23", the lower end of the concave 26" terminating adjacent the conveyor 30, so that the pretzel blanks may pass readily from between the cylinder 23 and the concave 26 to the conveyer. This conveyer is propelled so that its upper run passes or moves'forcylinder 28 The cylinders are also 'operatively con-' nected to the shaft 5 through the medium of an idle gear 32 meshing with the gear 25 and meshing in turn with the gear 38 carried by the shaft 5.

In operation, it being understood that the suitable quantity and quality of dough has been inserted or placed in the dough cylinder or receptacle 9, as the shaft 5 is driven the piston 9 will be gradually forced upward so as to discharge the dough through the delivery tube 13. The discharged dough is then cut up into chunks or blanks of the proper weight by the cutter 1-1 as above indicated, and these chunks drop into the space between the upper or first cylinder 23 and concave 26.- The chunk is then given a rolling motion between the said cylinder and concave so as to assume a circular form, and at the same time iscar'ried toward the lower edge of the concave, from whence it is freed from between the concave and cylinder aforesaid and is delivered or dropped over the lip 29 to the next succeedingor second The upper edge of the concave 26 in extending contiguous to the lip 29 will immediately receive the blank so that the blank will be subject to a second rolling action,but in a reverse direction, to further reduce the diameter of the blank and increase the form and proportion of the blank. The blank then approaches the lower edge of the concave 26 and gravitates over the ,lip 29 to the last or third cylinder 23", and is given its final rolling action between the cylinder 23 and the concave 26". The blank in passing from the last cylinder and concave is of proper form and proportions and drops onto the convey 30. The conveyer feeds the blanks, as they drop from the forming cylinders and concaves, forwardly so that they may be picked up by the operator or operators for throwing or forming them into the pretzels proper.

With the machine and operation as above described, it will be noted that the pretzel blanks may be efhciently, conveniently and readily formed from a batch or bulk of dough, and with a marked degree of uniformity. The present machine is also adapted for rolling pretzel blanks of various weights or sizes, and is otherwise advantageous 'as will be apparent from the foregoing.

Numerous alterations or modifications are possible in the present machine, as for instance, more than one cylinder 9 may be provided, so that the pretzel blanks may be, rolled in multiple, or other equivalent means may be employed foractuating the cutter 1 1 and for vpermitting of its timed move;; I" r H ment. a v

' What is claimed is In a, dough rolling machine, a pair of oppositely rotating parallel dough rolling cylinders having their axes disposed horilzontally in different horizontal and vertical planes, a concave for each cylinder, the oooperating cylinders and concaves being arranged to roll dough therebetween, the space between lower cylinder and concave being less throughout its entire length than the space between the upper cylinder and concave, the upper concave extending below the upper cylinder and having its delivery edge terminating in the plane cutting the axes of the two cylinders and provided with a declined lip extending to the lower cylinder, the lower concave extending over the lower cylinder and having its receiving end terminating adjoining the said lip, the space between the lip and receiving end I of the lower concave being narrow whereby the dough blanks delivered over the said lip will immediately be taken up under the lower concave by the lower cylinder.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aifixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LEVI UHLER.

Witnesses: 1

CHAs. H. SIBBAGH, CHAS. H. UHLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). G. 

